I consider an interview to be a social encounter between two or more individuals with words as the main means of exchange. The interviewer must be clear about the purpose of the exchange to ensure that time is spent giving and obtaining information that is relevant and revealing.
Meeting face-to-face with candidates provides the best opportunity to gather information about their skills and experience, and ultimately find the right person for the job and organization.
It provides the vehicle that allows one individual to express views and opinions to another in a structured manner.
Remember that our purpose is not only to evaluate candidates but also to accurately describe the job. We will also need to represent our organization in the best possible way to attract good quality candidates.
On the surface, interviews provide a venue for managers to ask questions directly of candidates, it’s also an opportunity to test their jib cut and see if they’re up to the job.
From my point of view, there are four functions that an interview can perform:
- Helps judge whether candidates are likely to fit with existing staff, equipment, and organizations values. The best in a candidate is seen from the early stages of the interview. For example: handshake strength, eye contact, mannerisms, etc.
- Helps evaluate potential candidates for future performance.
- It also helps the candidates to get all the required information related to the line of work. This allows them to judge whether the job is right for them.
- The most important reason is to allow the employer and the candidates to meet, thus providing a forum and exchange of information.